Piano



Patented Aug. 30, I898. B. KROEGER.

PIA N 0.

(Application filed Feb. 15, 1898.]

(No Model.)

lNVENTOf? WITNESSES v UNITED STATES N PATENT OEEICE.

BERNARD KROEGER, OF W'I-IITE PLAINS, NEW YORK.

PIANO.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 610,065, dated August 30, 1898.

Application filed February 15, 1898. Serial No. 670.378. (N0 model.)

T0 to whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BERNARD KROEGER, of White Plains, in the county of \Vestchester and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pianos, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in pianos, and more especially the grand type. Grand pianos are very heavy, and therefore it is often dificult to carry them through narrow passages, up flights of stairs, and the like. A great element of the weight is the iron frame for the strings, which is usually fastened to the bottom of the piano-case, and therefore not easily removed.

One object of my invention is to so arrange the parts that the string-frame, the strings, and the sounding-board connected therewith may be easily detached from the case and removed and easily replaced after the casing shall have been put in the required position.

Another object of my invention is to provide a simple means to prevent the buckling of the string-frame cross-bars, such buckling being due to the strain of the strings.

I will describe a piano embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both views.

Figure l is a perspective view of a stringframe embodying my improvement, and Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

The string frame comprises the several cross-bars 1, the casting 2, and the end bars 3 a. Arranged below the frame is the sounding-board 5, and underneath this soundingboard 5 and directly-under each bar 1 is a truss-bar 6. Each truss-bar has one end 7 extended upwardly through an opening in the sounding-board 5 and engaging against the under side of the casting 2. The opening through the sounding-board must be sufiiciently large to prevent its wall from contacttruss.

ing with the upwardly-turned portion of the A bolt 8 extends downward through the bar 1, through the casting 2, and through the end of the truss 6, and a nut 9 is engaged with the screw-threaded end of the bolt 8 be=- low the truss. The opposite end of the truss is secured to the bar 1 by means of a bolt 10, passing through said bar 1 and through a spacing-block 11 between the bar and truss and through the truss, the lower end being provided with a nut 12. The center of each truss is connected to the bar 1 above it by means of a bolt 13, which passes through an enlarged opening in the sounding-board 5 and has one end extended through the bar 1 and its other end extended through the truss. The central portion of this bolt 13 is enlarged or, in other words, has shoulders, which engage against the under side of the bar 1 and against the upper side of the truss 6, so as to hold the parts in their proper relative position. A nut 14 engages the bolt 13 at the under side of the truss, and an ornamental nut 15 engages the bolt at the upper side of the bar 1. It is obvious that these trusses will prevent the buckling of the bars 1, usually due to the strain of the strings while tuning or other wise.

The string-frame is removably engaged in the piano-case entirely free from the bottom thereof. In other words, there are no bolt connections between the frame and the bottom of the case, as in the usual method of securing the frame. The frame is here shown as having its edges resting on shoulders 16, formed on the inner side of the piano-case 17, and screw-bolts 18 pass through the frame into the shoulders of the casing, as clearly in dicated in Fig. 2. Obviously by removing the screw-bolts 18 the string-frame and the parts connected therewith maybe easily lifted from the case, and the trusses,while performing the function before stated,will also serve to prevent the sagging of the frame while it is being lifted from the case.

IVhile I have described my invention as being especially adapted for grand pianos, it is obvious that it may be employed in upright pianos, and therefore I do not limit my invention to its connection with grand pianos.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent- In a piano, a string-frame comprising crossbars and the casting, a sounding-board arranged below the frame and trusses below the sounding-board, a truss being directly under each cross-bar, and each truss having one end extended freely through an opening in the sounding board and engaging against the casting, the opposite ends of the trusses being secured to the bars by means of bolts passing through the bars, the truss and through spacing-blocks, and bolts connecting the central portion of each truss to its bar, the said bolts passing through enlarged openings in the sounding-board, substantially as specified.

- BERNARD KROEGER.

Witnesses:

ALBERT W. KROEGER, JAMES T. MONTGOMERY. 

